Cause of Death: Life

Now out of the bedroom, with this album it shows excellent effort from Happy Days. A full blast of pure negativity, a painful soundtrack for your suicide. Being a double CD full length, this album has plenty of songs to offer, all different from another. I will also make note about the label that released this, it is quite obvious that Happy Days have moved to a more professional, higher quality release label, which is good on their part since they have moved out of the infamous Self Mutilation Services. Many people who find this band will probably ask the same question I did when I first discovered this project. Why Happy Days? What is the meaning behind the name? In my opinion this album outright describes the meaning behind this band.

The album opens perfectly with the acoustic side of Morbid's guitar playing with that destructive slow drumming from Happy Days's Karmageddon. Also a few seconds in you will hear a riff from the acoustic guitar that gives the impression that Morbid was influenced by Alcest when writing this song. After the acoustic ends it gives a attack of powerful destructive vocals and riffs followed by the thundering sound of Karmageddon's drumming. First impressions are everything, as well as introductions, and if you are or are not a fan of Happy Day's before hearing this, it surely will draw anyone into this suicidal soundtrack.

Morbid's vocals has obviously improved since his recent albums, most definitly his howling vocals. His guitar playing is still just as good as his recent works. Even one that isn't a fan must agree that his guitar playing in Happy Days as well as other projects is far better then most guitar players in any of the genres he plays. Track four 'For These Wounds Will Never Be as Deep as This Emptiness' starts off with a introduction of GG Allin speaking about his plan to take his life on stage with a panning reverb effect installed in, this begins the track almost perfectly, again with the powerful instruments and vocals.

One thing I forgot to make note about this album is that some of Happy Day's older songs have been polished, re-done and re-recorded. The re-done 'Alone and Cold' is a vast improvement from the original song. It gives more emotion and more of a negative impression of what the track is supposed to represent, a track to take to the grave. After this and another fantastic re-make we are met with 'Take Me Away', which to me gives extremely a hopeless sound vocal work followed by the lyrics.

"Together we stay
Together we die"

Just hearing those words being spoken in that range is just insane, I cannot describe it. After, we are given Abigail, one of the most sickest, darkest tracks you will ever hear in a lifetime. This monster begins with a movie sample at the beginning with a growing work of acoustic guitar backing the situation that is taking place. Once this ends, the song begins. The whole track is instrumental, but it is without a doubt one of the most saddening, hopeless songs in the whole album. This is a fantastic job, yet another track to bring with you to the grave.

On the second disk, the first track 'This Will Hurt' is yet another winner. A slow and painful track, a journey into the dark minds of Happy Days. The doomy nature of this song haunts you through the whole listen. After the haunting we are given a more different sounding song from your average depressive black metal. The beginning of Heroin is Good for You is an odd introduction, given a weird, devastating riff with another panning effect. What they were probably trying to do was give the impression of the afermath of injecting heroin into your veins. After this is Morbid's most personal song yet. Agony Becomes Unforgettable Seering Emptiness is presented with a beginning with verses of slow simple drumming that slowly makes it's way to giving us a blast of pure blackened art. After listening to this song is like returning home from running a few miles, it is a depressing trip into the abused minds of these musicians, the impression this song gives you is that; Happy Days is not fucking around. The rest of the album leaves us with a devastating ending with it's last two tracks.

In conclusion, this album is a unique piece of art indeed. Out of the bedroom, they have shown us the true potential behind Happy Days and leaves me to tell you that this is a highly recommended buy if you are ever looking for a dark and depressing album. The tone, mood, atmosphere, everything, its all almost perfect. However the only downside is some of these songs become very repetitive. Still, the score I am giving is well deserved. Hails to Morbid and Karmageddon!

Reviewed by Lord Aghartha